Printing apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a printing, feeding and severing method and apparatus for carrying out the method. The apparatus includes a print head assembly and a platen assembly movable relatively toward and away from each other into and out of printing cooperation, mechanism for inking the print head assembly, mechanism for feeding a web of record members to between the print head assembly and the platen assembly, the web being in roll form and there being means to assist the gradual unwinding of the roll with gradual paying out of web material from the roll to the feeding mechanism, an idler contacting the web and disposed at a slight angle to the direction of feed of the web to cause the web to follow a feed edge, record severing means disposed downstream of the print head assembly and the platen assembly, and a modular support assembly of a print head of the print head assembly.

United States Patent M w Wm Pabodie Oct. 23, 1973 [54] PRINTING APPARATUS Inventor: Robert M. Pabodie, Dayton, Ohio Pr'mary Exammer-Anen Knowles Att0rneyJoseph J. Grass [73] Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.,

Dayton Ohm 57 ABSTRACT Filedi J 1972 There is disclosed a printing, feeding and severing [21] AppL No: 215,820 method and apparatus for carrying out the method. The apparatus mcludes a print head assembly and a platen assembly movable relatively toward and away UnSl 6 from each other into and out of printing cooperation [5 Int. 6 t mechanism for the print head assembly mechaof Search l 17, nism for feeding a web of record members to between 183, 25, 44, 186, 189, 118, the print head assembly and the platen assembly, the 1 271/52 web being in roll form and there being means to assist I the gradual unwinding of the roll with gradual paying References Cited out of web material from the roll to the feeding mech- UNITED STATES PATENTS anism, an idler contacting the web and disposed at a 3,561,655 2 1971 Yasukawa 226/113 Slight angle to the direction of fwd of the Web to 2,628,834 2 1953 Craib 226/191 ux cause the Web to follow a feed edge, record Severihg 2,674,456 4/1954 Gibson, Jr 271/52 means disposed downstream of the print head assem- 2,729,581 1/1956 Pascoe et al 271/52 X bly and the platen assembly, and a modular support 3,677,455 7/1972 Johnson ..L 226/117 assembly of a print head of the print head assembly 2,287,768 6/1942 Eckstein 226/191 X 3,285,484 ll/l966 Johnson 226/195 X 4 Claims, 35 D awing Figures PATENIEflucrza mm 3.767; 098 sum mar 13 PAIENTEUUCI 23 I973 SHEET UQUF 13 I: I: I

PAIENTEB 8U 23 I973 SEE] 12 0F 13 aw wav mcmmamam 3.767.098

SMEI 13M 13 PRINTING APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises improved printing apparatus in which a print head and a platen are mounted for relative movement toward and away from each other and a stop arrangement is used to limit the amount of travel of the print head and the platen toward each other. Apreferred arrangement is to provide a resilient drive connection which yields when a stop is abutted. Specifically, either the print head or the platen assembly is movably mounted and the movable one is connected to an eccentric by a connecting rod having a pair of relatively movable sections and a spring yieldably urging the sections apart. Impression control is thus effected.

The invention also comprises structure providing a fixedly mounted print head, a movable platen assembly with a platen cooperable with the print head, feeding and severing means mounted by the movable platen assembly, and means for driving the platen assembly, the feeding means and the severing means.

The invention also comprises printing means for printing on a web with improved means downstream of the printing means for selectively automatically or manually severing printed records from the web.

The invention also comprises an improved mechanism for unwinding a roll by gradually paying out web material from the roll by using an improved rotary feeding means which comprises a plurality of flexible members in driving engagement with the web material; the flexible members are preferably resilient and have a relatively high coefficient of friction.

The invention also comprises an idler roll in pressure contact with a web and disposed at a slight angle with respect to the direction of web movement to cause the web to follow a guide edge.

PRIOR ART The following U.S. Pats. are made of record: Nos. 458,945; 2,888,261; 3,180,254; 3,228,601; 3,350,091; 3,494,525; and 3,662,681.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing one side of printing apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view generally along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevational view generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a partly diagrammatic side elevational view showing the platen assembly in printing cooperation with the print head assembly, showing the inking mechanism in a position in which the ink roll is in engagement with the ink transfer roll, and showing the severing mechanism as having severed a record member from the web;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the ink roller as having inked the printing members during its forward stroke and showing exaggerated-16 the platen in its downward position;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view showing part of the linkage of the inking mechanism in both solid and phantom line positions;

FIG. 11 is a sectional elevational view showing the manner in which the ink roll is mounted for travel relative to the print head assembly;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view illustrating the severing mechanism in both solid and full line positions;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the inking mechanism in section;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken generally along line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken generally along line 15-15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a sectional elevational view of apparatus by which ink is delivered to the fountain from the sump and excess ink is returned to the sump;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showing a wiper blade and ink return ducts 1 and a header;

FIG. 18 is an elevational view showing the feeding mechanism by which the record members are fed;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is an elevational view through the print head assembly showing the manner in which the printing bands are mounted;

FIG. 21 is an elevational view taken generally along line 21-21 of FIG. 20, but omitting the printing bands;

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of the modular printing band support assembly shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken along line 23-23 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is an elevational sectional view taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 21;

FIG. 26 is a view taken generally along the line 26-26 of FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the functions of the printing apparatus are timed;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken generally along line 28-28 of FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a schematic circuit diagram showing a manner in which the record severing function can be accomplished;

FIG. 301s a schematic circuit diagram for the record feed mechanism;

FIG. 31 is a perspectiveview of an alternate form of drive and mounting mechanism for the ink roll;

FIG. 32 is a side elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view taken along line 33-33 of FIG. 32;

FIG. 34 is a sectional view taken along line 34-33 of FIG. 33; and

FIG. 35 is a sectional view taken along line 35-35 of FIG. 33.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a printing apparatus generally indicated at 30 including a frame generally indicated at 31. A print head assembly 32 is fixedly mounted to the frame 31 and a platen assembly generally indicated at 33 is pivotally mounted to the frame 31 by a pivot pin 34. An inking mechanism or inker generally indicated at 35 is provided for inking the print head assembly 32. A roll 36 of record members 37 arranged in web form is mounted by a rotatable reel 38 mounted by the frame 31. The web of record members 37 passes under and partly around a rotary feed member 98, from there it passes into contact with, over and partly around the roll 36 of record members 37 and from there onto the upper surface 39 of the platen assembly 33 beneath a hold-down plate 40 and an aligning roll 41. From there the web of record members 37 passes between a feed wheel 42 and a roll 43. From there the web of record members 37 is advanced to a rigid platen 44 of the platen assembly 33. The feed wheel 42 operates near the end of each machine cycle to advance the printing record member or members 37 to a position in which the trailing edge of the advanced record member or members 37 are at a fixed knife 45 ofa severing mechanism generally indicated at 46. The severing mechanism 46 which is downstream of the feed wheel 42 also includes a movable knife 47. The

movable knife 47 is pivotally mounted about a pivot 48 and is cooperable with the fixed knife 45 to sever the previously printed record member or members 37 from the remainder of the web.

An electric motor 49 is mounted to the frame 31. The electric motor 49 drives a speed reducer 50 which in turn is connected to the input of a clutch indicated diagrammatically at 51. The clutch 51 is shown in greater detail at 153 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,254. The output of the clutch 51 is connected to a drive shaft 52 journaled in a bearing 53. An eccentric generally indicated at 54 in the form of a crank 55 has an eccentrically mounted crank pin 56. The pin 56 is received by a ball 57 received in a socket 57'. The socket 57' forms part of a connecting rod generally indicated at 58.

With reference to FIG. 3, the connecting rod socket 57 is shown to threadably receive a rod 59. A lock nut 60 threadably received by the rod or rod section 59 maintains the adjusted position of the rod 59 relative to the socket 57'. The rod 50 also threadably receives a pair of nuts 61. A compression spring 62 is received about the rod 59 between the nuts 61 and a socket or socket section 63. The nuts 61 are adjusted so that the spring 62 is always under some compression irrespective of the position of the crank pin 56. The rod 59 has an enlarged section 64 received in an elongated recess 65 in the socket 63, thereby permitting relative movement between the rod 59 and the socket 63. The socket 63 movably mounts a ball 66 in a socket hole 67. The ball 66 has a hole 68 in which a shaft 69 is received. The shaft 69 is rigidly connected to the platen assembly 33. Before the clutch 51 is engaged, shaft 56 is in the phantom line position indicated at 56 in FIG. 3. In this position, the platen 44 of the platen assembly 33. is spaced from printing members 70 of the print head assembly 32. As the shaft 52 rotates clockwise (FIG. 3), the platen assembly 33 continues to move away from the print head assembly 32 until the crank pin 56 rotates clockwise to its lowerest position (FIG. 3). As the shaft 52 continues to rotate clockwise, the platen assembly 33 starts moving toward the print head assembly 32. Before the crank 56 reaches the highest position shown by solid lines in FIG. 3, stop screws 71 engage a stop provided by a stop plate 72 rigidly mounted to the frame 31 by a bracket 73. The bracket 73 is considered to be part of the frame 31. While the stop screws 71 are in contact with the stop plate 72 the record member is in contact with the printing members 70. The stop screws 71 are adjustable to effect adjustment of impression control.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 5, the electric motor 49 has a gear 74 secured to its output shaft 75. The gear 74 drives a gear 76 secured to a pully 78. The gear 76 and the pulley 78 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 77. The pulley 78 drives a pulley 79 via belt 80. The pulley 79 is secured to a shaft 81. A bracket 82 secured to the frame 31 mounts the shaft 77 and a stationary bearing 83. The gear 76 and the pulley 78 are secured to a hub member 77. The shaft 81 is rotatably mounted by the bearing 83 and drives pulleys 84 and 85 and 99. The pulley 84 drives a pulley 86 via belt 87. The pulley 86 and a pulley 88 are keyed together so that they rotate as a unit about stationary shaft 89. The shaft 89 is secured to the frame 31 by a bracket 90. The pulley 88 drives a pulley 91 (FIG. 15) via belt 92. The pulley 91 drives the mechanism 35.

The pulley 85 (FIG. 5) drives a pulley 94 via belt 95. The pulley 94 is secured to a shaft 96 rotatably mounted by a bearing 97. A rotary frictional feed member 98 is secured to the shaft 96.

A pulley 99 secured to the shaft 81 drives a pulley 100 via belt 101. The pulley 100 and another pulley 102 are keyed together so that they rotate as a unit about a stationary shaft 103. The pulley 102 drives a pulley 104 (FIGS. 18 and 19) via belt 105. As best shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the pulley 104 drives the record feeding mechanism generally indicated at 107.

With reference to FIG. 18, the platen assembly 33 is shown to be comprised of a platen frame 108 in which the shaft 103 is adjustably mounted to tension the belt 105. The tension on the belt 101 is maintained by a pair of springs 109 (FIGS. 2 and 18). A pair of plates 110 and 111 are shown to be mounted in spaced parallel fixed relationship with respect to each other by spacer rods 112, 113 and 114. The ends of the rods 112, 113, and 114 are suitably secured to the plates 110 and 111 to provide a unitary feed assembly frame 115. The plates 110 and 111 of the feed assembly frame 115 are pivotally mounted by studs 116 and 117 carried by a bracket 33' secured to the platen frame 108. The studs 1 l6 and 117 pivotally mount the solenoid housing 157. The entire feed assembly frame 115 is accordingly piv oted by the studs 116 and 117 with respect to the platen frame 108. The plate 1 10 is shown to be in abutment with a stop screw 1 18 threadably mounted by the platen frame 108. The stopscrew 118 adjustably limits the position to which the feed assembly frame 115 can be pivoted by a tension spring 119, thereby adjusting the amount of pressure which the feed wheel 42 exerts on the underside of the record web. The tension spring 119 is connected at one end to the rod 114 and at its other end to the platen frame 108.

With reference to FIG. 19, there is shown a wrappedspring clutch generally indicated at 120. The clutch 120 includes a tubular sleeve 121 having a flat 122. The pulley 104 matingly receives the sleeve 121 at the flat 122 so that the pulley 104 and the sleeve 121 rotate as a unit. An annular tubular drive member 123 is pressfitted onto the sleeve 121 so that the sleeve 121 and the drive member 123 rotate as a unit. A control sleeve 124 is received about the drive member 123. The sleeve 124 can be constructed of suitable plastic material. The sleeve 124 has an annular external groove 125 which receives a resilient O-ring 126, composed of a material having a relatively high co-efficient of friction such as rubber. As the O-ring 126 is snugly received in the groove 125 in a slightly stretched condition, the O-ring 126 does not rotate relative to the sleeve 124. An output driven member generally indicated at 127 has an enlarged annular section 128, the diameter of which is illustrated as being equal to the diameter of the drive member 123. The feed wheel 42 is shown to be formed integrally with the enlarged annular section 128. A spring 130 is shown to be received about a portion of the outer surface of the drive member 123 and about the outer surface of the annular section 128. One end of the spring 130 is turned out to provide a tang 131 received in an open-ended slot 132 in the sleeve 124. The sleeve 124 is shown to have an enlarged internal diameter as indicated at 133 to provide clearance between the spring 130 and the sleeve 124. The output driven member 127 has a reduced diameter section 134 which extends through the sleeve 121, a spacing and retaining sleeve 135, a bushing 136, washers 137 and 138, an O- ring 139, and into the knob 140. The output driven member 127 also has a stub end 141 received by a bushing 142. The bushing 142 is non-rotatably mounted by the plate 111. A set screw 143 threadably mounted by the sleeve 135 and received in a groove 144 of the section 134 prevents the driven member 127 from shifting in a direction perpendicular to the plates 1 and 1 11, but allows the member 127 to be rotated. The bushing 136 is non-rotatably mounted by the plate 110. In the solid line position shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, a control member 145 is shown to have a pair of blunt, spaced-apart teeth146; the control member 145 is shown in contact with the O-ring 126, thereby holding the sleeve 124 and the spring 130 uncoiled or expanded so that it has a larger internal diameter than when the clutch 120 is engaged. As the pulley 91 rotates continuously, the sleeve 121 and the drive member 123'rotate continuously'relative to the sleeve 124 and the spring 130. While the control member 145 is in contact with the O-ring 126, the spring 130 is expanded thereby preventing the drive member 123 from driving the annular section 128 of. the output member 127. When thecontrol member 145 is moved to the phantom-line position (FIG. 18) out of contact with the O-ring 126, the spring 130 coilsup, that is, its internal diameter is reduced, thereby gripping the drive member 123. The clutch 120 is now engaged as the spring 130 drivingly connects the input member 123 and the output member 127. When the clutch 120 is engaged, the feed wheel 42 rotates. The web of record members 37 is fed between the feed wheel 42 and a roll 43 which is rotatably mounted in a block 148 by a bearing 150. The block 148 is suitably mounted to the platen frame 108. The outer surface of the feed wheel 42 is provided with straight knurls 42' which engage the underside of the web of record members 37. The feed wheel 42 is considerably narrower than the width of the web being fed. However, the roll 43 is long enough to engage the upper surface of the web across a considerable portion of its width. Thus, the roll 43 serves to hold the web down against the upper surface of the platen frame 108 immediately upstream of the platen 44. When the control member 145 is moved to the phantom line position coil or expand. Uncoiling of the spring 130 effects disengagement of the clutch by causing the spring to move outwardly away from the outer surface of the drive member 123. Accordingly, the feed wheel 42 is no longer driven and the movement of the web of record members 37 stops. It is noted that the control member contacts the O-ring 126 above the center of the control sleeve 124 at an obtuse angle A relative to the direction of travel of the O-ring at the point of contact. Moreover, considering a first line between the point of contact and the pivot 113, a second line perpendicular to the first line and intersecting the first line between the point of contact and the pivot 113 passes through the center line of the sleeve 124. This results in effective disengagement at the clutch 128 when the member 145 contacts the O-ring 126.

The end section 149 of the driven member 127 has a flat 150'. The knob 148 is received by the end section 149 and has a flat 151 which cooperates with the flat 1511 of the end section 149 to prevent rotation of the knob 148 relative to the end section 149. A friction clutch 152 includes the washer 138 which is keyed to the section 149, the O-ring 139, the washer 137 and the end surface of the bushing 136. A screw 153 threadably received by the end section 149, is adjustable to adjust the amount of frictional drag of the clutch 152. It is apparent that the feed wheel 42 can be driven either through torque applied by the pulley 104 when the clutch 120 is engaged, or manually by rotation of the knob 140 but the clutch 152 frictionally holds the feed wheel 42 in the position into which it has been advanced, either as a result of the engagement of the clutch 1211 or as the result of manually rotating the knob 140.

A solenoid 154 (FIG. 18) mounted by the plate frame 108 has an armature 155. A compression spring 156 is received about the armature between the end of the solenoid housing 157 and a flange 158 on the armature 155. The armature 155 is connected to the control member 145 by a pin 159. The spring 156 normally holds the control member 145 in the solid line position (FIG. 18). Energization of the solenoid 154 causes the armature 155 to shift, therebypivoting control member 145 clockwise into the phantom line position (FIG. 18) out of contact with O-ring 126. Energization and deenergization of the solenoid 154 is controlled by a circuit shown in FIG. 30.

The feed wheel 42 advances the web once during each machine cycle so that a record member 37 is presented to the printing position or zone between the platen 44 and the printing members 70. When the record member 37 arrives at the printing zone, the clutch 120 is disengaged and the feed wheel 42 stops rotating. However, as the output shaft 75 of the electric motor 49 rotates continuously, the rotary feed member 98is continuously driven. The rotary feed member 98 is shown in FIGS. 5 and6 to have a hub 160 secured to the driven shaft 96. The hub 160 is shown to be provided with four dove-tail slots 161 for receiving respective drive members 162. The drive members 162 are in the form of outwardly extending vanes or blades. The drive members 162 are composed of a flexible, resilient material preferably having a high co-efficient of friction, such as rubber. When the drive members 162 are in driving engagement with a section of the web which has been paid out of the roll 36, the drive members 162 flex slightly as they engage the web. As the rotary feed member 98 continues to rotate, additional web material is paid out of the roll 36 until gradually slackness develops. As the slackness increases, the contact between the rotary feed member 98 and the web decreases and it can decrease to such an extent that the paid out web section looses contact with the feed member 98 as indicated by phantom lines. As rotation of the rotary feed member 98 continues, the feed wheel 42 and the roll 43, together with the feed member 98 provides a simple arrangement for feeding the web material from the roll 36. As the roll 36 has a relatively large amount of inertia, and as the feeding by the feed wheel 42 is intermittent, the construction, arrangement and location of the feed member 98 prevents an undue amount of web material from being paid out of the roll 36. This is accomplished without applying any braking force either to the reel 38, to the roll 36, or to the paid out web material, although the art is replete with such devices. As best shown in FIG. 5, it is noted that the reel 38 and the rotary feed member 98 are disposed at the same slight angle with respect to the horizontal. Assuming the apparatus is mounted on a generally horizontal surface, the roll 36 will not come off the reel 38 and yet the rotary feed member 98 can make full contact with the underside of the web. The peripheral speed of the drive members 162 is greater than the peripheral speed of the feed wheel 42.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, there is provided an aligning mechanism generally indicated at 163. The aligning mechanism 163 includes an arm 164 pivotally mounted by the pivot pin 34. A tension spring 165 is connected at one end to the arm 164 and at its other end to a plate 108' secured to the platen frame 108. A shaft 166 secured to the arm 164 is disposed at a slight angle with respect to the direction of travel of the record members 37 and to a plate 108" secured to the platen frame 108. An aligning roll 41 is comprised of a bushing 167 rotatably mounted by the shaft 166 and a one-piece molded annular frictional member 168 having a plurality of external annular flanges 169. The spring 165 urges the roll 41 toward platen surface 39. As the web advances, the web rotates the roll 41 which causes the web to move into alignment with an upstanding guide edge provided by the plate 108".

The platen 44 is shown in FIG. 7 to be adjustably mounted to the platen frame 108 by screws 170. The

screws 170 pass through elongated slots 171 in the platen frame 108 and are rotatably received by respective nuts 172. In this manner, the platen 44 and the knife 45 formed at the terminal end of the platen 44 can be adjusted relative to the movable knife 47.

A bracket 173 is suitably secured to the platen frame 108. The bracket 173 threadably receives the adjusting screws 71. Lock nuts 71 lock the respective screws 71 in their adjusted positions. The bracket 173 mounts pivot 48. The movable knife 47 has a pair of flanges or arms 176 and 177 which are pivotally mounted by the pivot 48. A link 178 is connected to the arm 176 by a pivot pin 179, and a link 180 is connected to the arm 177 by a pivot pin 181. The links 178 and 180 are identical and have respective elongated slots 182 and 183 and respective stop shoulders 184 and 185. A solenoid 186 is secured to the bracket 73. Armature 187 (FIG. 7) is shown to be received in a compression spring 188.

The spring 188 is compressed between the end of the solenoid 186 and a washer 189 which bears against a pin 190. A generally U-shaped yoke 190 is secured to the end of the armature 187 by a screw 191 has a pair of forwardly extending arms 192 and 193. The arm 192 is pivotally connected to the link 178 by a pivot pin 194, and the arm 193 is pivotally connected to the link by a pivot pin 195. Arms 192 and 193 have respective stop shoulders 192' and 193'.

The severing mechanism 46 is only effective when the solenoid 186 has been energized. The solenoid 186 is energized during the time in the machine cycle when the shoulders 184 and are below a stop face 196 provided by a plate 197 secured to the bracket 73. Energization of the solenoid 186 drives the links 178 and 180 against the end 198 of the plate 197. As the platen assembly 33 moves upwardly, the shoulders 184 and 185 of the respective links 178 and 180 engage the stop face 196 (FIG. 8) to pivot the movable knife 47 counter-clockwise into severing cooperation with the knife 45, thereby severing a record member 37 from the web. During the remainder of the machine cycle, the platen assembly 33 moves away from the print head 32. Upon deenergization of the solenoid 186, the springs 199 and 200 respectively connecting the link 178 and the bracket 173, and the link 180 and the bracket 173 cause the movable knife 47 to pivot to its clockwise position shown in FIG. 9.

The spring 188 normally holds the yoke and the pins 194 and in the position shown for example in FIG. 7. Assuming that the solenoid 186 is not energized, the shoulders 184 and 185 will not engage the stop face 196 as the platen assembly 33 moves upwardly. Accordingly, the movable knife 47 will remain in its initial position relative to the knife 45 (FIGS. 1 and 7).

The movable knife 47 has a manually engageable upstanding tab or handle 47' by which the movable knife 47 can be moved into record severing relationship with respect to the knife 45. As the movable knife 47 pivots, the slots 182 and 183 allow the links 178'and 180 to be moved downwardly as viewed in the drawings. The springs 199 and 200 thereafter return the movable knife 47 to its initial position shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. Flange 177 has a projection 177' which is urged into control with a step 177' by springs 199 and 200 to define the initial position.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 7, the bracket 173 is shown to have an extension 201. A resilient deflector generally indicated at 202 includes inwardly and upwardly extending spring fingers 203 which in their normal positions extend to immediately adjacent and slightly below the cutting edge of the knife 45. The marginal ends 204 of the spring fingers 203 are turned away from the edge of the knife 45. The spring fingers 203 are integrally joined to a mounting portion 205 disposed in underlying relationship to the extension 201. Screws 206 secure the mounting portion 205 to the extension 201. When the movable knife 47 is actuated into cutting relationship with the knife 45 to sever a record member 37 from the web, the movable knife 47 deflects the spring fingers 203 from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8. As the movable knife returns from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 7, the spring fingers 203 also return to the position shown in FIG. 7. The fingers 203 not only prevent the severed record member 37 from falling out of reach in the apparatus 30, but they also serve to propel the individual record members into a discharge chute indicated by phantom lines 206 in FIG. 7. The chute 206 is disposed between arms 176 and 177 of the movable knife 47. I

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 13 through 17, and initially to FIG. 13, there is shown the inking mechanism generally indicated at 35. The inking mechanism includes a reservoir or fountain 211 by which an ink supply roll 212 and an ink transfer roll 213 are mounted. The ink transferring roll 213 is an anilox roll having typically microscopic geometric shaped holes or cells in its surface. These holes or cells carry the ink to an ink roll 251. The fountain 211 has a fountain cover 211'. The ink supply roll 212 has a hub 214 and an ink receptive cover 215 made of rubber. The hub 214 is keyed to a shaft 216 by a key 217. A screw rod 218 threadably received by the shaft 216 is shown to be tightened to drive the key 217 into keying engagement with the hub 214. The shaft 216 is rotatably mounted near one end by a bearing 219 in an arm 220 of a U- shaped frame generally indicated at 221. The shaft 216 is also mounted near its other end by a bearing 222 received by the other arm 223 of the U-shaped frame 221. The frame 221 is pivotally mounted by a shaft or pivot 224 mounted at opposed ends 225 and 226 by the fountain 211. A set screw 227 prevents the frame 211 from shifting axially along the shaft 224.

The frame 221 has an extension 228 with a hole 229. A screw 230 passes through a hole 231 in the fountain 211 and the hole 229 in the extension 228. A rod 232 having a threaded bore 233 threadably receives the screw 230. A compression spring 234 is received about the screw 230 between the screw head 235 and the fountain 211. Tightening the screw 230 causes the ink supply roll 212 to be pressed more tightly against the ink transferring roll 213, thereby diminishing the amount of ink which is transferred to the ink transferring roll 213 by the ink supply roll 212. Loosening the screw 230 results in more ink being transferred to the ink transferring roll 213.

The ink transferring roll 213 is secured to a mounting shaft 236 by a setscrew 237. The shaft 236 is rotatably mounted in bearings 238 and 239. The shaft 236 is driven by the pulley 91. A pinion 240 secured to the shaft 236 is in meshing engagement with a gear 241 secured to the shaft 216. As the external diameter of the ink supply roll 212 and the ink transferring roll 213 are the same, the gears 240 and 241 cause the ink supply roll 212 to be driven at a slower rate of speed than the ink transfer roll 213. This difference in the peripheral speeds of the rolls 212 and 213 results in a slight wiping action or slippage as the rolls 212 and 213 rotate in the directions of arrows 212' and 213' (FIG. 13). This wiping action is found particularly beneficial with inks of relatively high viscosities in effecting diminuation in the amount of ink transferred to the ink transferringroll 213. As the amount of pressure adjustment between the rolls 212 and 213 is relatively small upon the loosening or tightening of thescrew 230, the correct meshing engagement between the gears 240 and241 is not affected. 1

A wiper blade 242 secured to the fountain 211 is slightly longer and thus extend slightly beyond both ends of the roll 212. The blade 242 both limits the amount of ink which is transferred to the roll 213 and distributes the ink relatively evenly over the surface of the roll 212. As best shown in FIG. 17, the amount of ink I in the fountain 211 is limited by a weir 244. Excess ink in the fountain 211 pours over the weir 244 and gravitates through openings 245 between a plurality of bosses 246 which receive screws 243. From openings 245 the ink flows gravitationally through a plurality of drain holes 247 (one of which is shown) into ink return header 248 from which the excess ink is returned via flexible tube 250 to a sump in the form of a glass jar 249.

An ink roll 251 is shown in FIG. 13 to be in inking cooperation with the ink transferring roll 213. The ink roll 251 includes a tubular sleeve 252 having a covering 253 of ink receptive material such as rubber. Guide rollers 254 and 255 are secured to a shaft 258. The

sleeve 252 is rotatable on the shaft 258 by bearings 256 and 257.

A knurled wheel 259 is secured to the shaft 236 by a set screw 259'. The wheel 259 drivingly engages an annular rubber wheel 260 secured to the sleeve 252 when the roll 251 is in inking relationship with the roll 213 as shown in FIG. 13. A gap 261 between the covering 253 and the wheel 260 to prevent any ink from being transferred to the wheel 260 from the covering. 253.

With reference to FIG. 11, the rolls 254 and 255 are shown to be in contact with guide means in the form of respective cams 262 and 263. The diameter of the wheel 260 is slightly larger than the diameters of the rolls 254 and 255. The wheel 260 is shown to be in contact with a plate 262A the lower surface of which is spaced slightly above the lower surface of the cam 262 as viewed in FIG. 11. The ink roll 251 is normally in the position shown by phantom lines 251' in FIG. 13. As the platen assembly 33 pivots downwardly, the ink roll 251 is driven from the position shown by phantom lines 251' to the position shown by phantom lines 251". The cam tracks 262 and 263 can be individually and independently adjustable upwardly and downwardly relative to the printing members carried by the print head assembly 32. Adjustment of the cam tracks 262 and 263 by screws 262' and 263' whichextend through enlarged slots 262" and 263" adjusts the amount of pressure or inking contact between the roll 251 and the printing members 70, thereby controlling the application of ink to the printing members 70. While the ink roll 251 is moving from the position shown by phantom lines 251' to the position shown by phantom lines 251", the ink roll 251 is driven by the plate 262A which is in driving engagement with the wheel 260. The fact that the wheel 260 has a slightly larger diameter than the covering 253 of the ink roll is of no practical consequence in that the contact area between the printing members 70 and the covering 253 is many times greater than the contact area between the plate 262A and the wheel 260. Accordingly, the ink roll'251 rolls across the printing members 70 without slipping.

With reference to FIG. 1, a gear section 264 specifically in the form of a gear segment, the center of rotation of which is the axis of the pivot 34, is secured to the platen frame 108 by screws 265. Accordingly, the rack 264 rotates as a unit with the platen frame 108.. A pinion 266 is secured to a shaft 267 pivotally mounted in a stationary bracket 26%. The bracket 268 is secured to the frame 31. An arm 269secured to the shaft 267 carries a roller 270. With reference to FIG. 9, as the platen assembly 33 moves generally downwardly, the

rack 264 drives the pinion 266 and the arm 269 counterclockwise. The roller 270 is received in a cam slot 271 of a cam follower 272. The follower 272 is secured to a shaft 274 pivotal about a bearing 273 suitably secured to the frame 31. A rocker 275 secured to the shaft 274 carries a spaced apart pair of ball joints 276 and 277. The ball joints 276 and 277 are received by respective sockets 278 and 279. The balljoints 276 and 277 and the sockets 278 and 279 are identical in construction. Accordingly, only the ball joint 277 and its respective socket 279 are shown in detail in FIG. 10.

With reference to FIG. 10, the ball joint 277 is shown to have a threaded shank 280 threadably received in a threaded bore 281 in the rocker 275. The ball joint 277 includes a spherical ball 282 joined to the shank 280. The distance between the ball 282 and the centerline of the shaft 274 can be varied by turning the ball joint 277. This changes the length of the are through which the ball 282 travels. A lock nut 283 and washer 284 lock the shank 280 in its adjusted position. The socket 279 includes a housing 285 and an opposed pair of socket members 286 and 287. The housing 285 has a threaded bore 288 which receives a screw 289. A compression spring 290 is compressed between the socket member 286 and the screw 289. The socket member 287 is suitably rotatably mounted in the housing 285, but the socket member 286 is slidable generally to the left (FIG. 10) away from the socket member 287 to further compress the spring 290 as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 10 during the inking of the ink roll 251. Rods 291 and 292 are suitably secured at their one ends to the socket members 287 of the respective sockets 278 and 279. The other ends of the rods 291 and 292 are threadably received by respective connectors 293 and 294. The connectors 293 and 294 are connected by pivot pins 295 and 296 to respective carriages 297 and 298. The carriage 297 (FIG. 8) rotatably mounts rollers 299, 300 and 301 by respective pivot pins 299', 300' and 301 The carriage 298 (FIG. 1) rotatably mounts rollers 302, 303, and 304 by respective pivot pins 302', 303 and 304'. The rollers 299, 300 and 301 are in guided rolling contact with a guide track 305 shown in detail in FIG. 11. The rollers 299, 300 and 301 make three-point contact with the track 305. The rollers 302, 303 and 304 are in guided, rolling, three-point contact with a guide track 306 (FIG. l). Links 307 and 308 are mounted to carriages 297 and 298 by respective pivots 309 and 310. The opposite ends of the shaft 258 are mounted by the arms 307 and 308. Springs 309 and 310 connected to respective links 307 and 308 and carriages 297 and 298 urge rollers 254 and 255 against respective cam tracks 262 and 263.

With references to FIG. 16, the jar 249 is mounted by a holder 311 secured to the frame 31. A cap 312 is threadably secured to the jar 249. The cap 312 has a large opening 313. A metal plate 314 and a compressible liner 315 are clamped between end wall 316 of the cap 312 and the terminal end of the jar 249. A pump generally indicated at 317 is shown to include a tubular pump body 318. The pump body 318 has an enlarged external diameter section or flange 319 and a threaded section 320. A nut 321 received by the threaded section 320 bears against the line 315 and draws the flange 319 against the plate 314 to mount the pump in an upright position. Spaced slightly above the lower terminal end 322 of the pump body 318 are a plurality of inlet ports 323. A ball 324 is received in a recess in the lower end of the pump body 318. A helical spring 325 receives a rod 326. One end of the spring 325 contacts the ball 324 which acts as a bearing for the spring 325. The other end of the rod 326 extends to about the end of the pump body 318. The spring 325 exerts a gripping force in the rod as the outside diameter of the rod 326 is greater than the internal diameter of the spring 325 before the rod 326 is inserted into the spring 325. Accordingly, the spring 325 and the rod 326 are rotatable as a unit. There is only a slight amount of clearance between outside of the spring 325 and the inside bore 327 of the pump body 318. The spring 325 extends all the way from the lower end of the rod 326 (FIG. 16) to the slotted marginal end 328 (FIG. 15) of a connector 329 secured to the shaft 216. The end of the spring 325 has a tang 330 which extends into the slot 331 of the slotted end 328, thereby connecting or keying the spring 325 to the connector 329. As the shaft 216 and the connector 329 rotate, the spring 325 rotates within a flexible plastic tube 332. The flexible tubes 250 and 332 are curved and the spring 325 conforms generally to the internal contour of the tube 332. The portion of the spring 325 in the bore 327 is not in the same axis as the drive shaft 216. The tube 332 is received about a tubular extension 333 of the fountain 211. A wire stiffener 334 is wrapped about the marginal end portion 335 of the tube 332. The stiffener 334 insures that the portion 335 of the tube 332 between the upper and lower passes 92 and 92" of the continuously moving belt 92 does not come into contact with the belt 92. Similarly, a wire stiffener 336 is wrapped about the marginal end portion 337 of the tube 250. The stiffener 336 insures that the portion 337 of the flexible tube 250 does not come into contact with the lower pass 92" of the belt 92.

The lower end of the tube 250 is connected to a tubular fitting 338 (FIG. 16). The fitting 338 has a flange 339 and a threaded section 340. A nut 341 secures the fitting 338 to the plate 314.

With reference to FIG. 14, as the shaft 216 rotates continuously, the spring 325 is also continuously rotated Within the flexible tube 332. The spring 325 extends into the tubular pump body 318 and rotates together with the rod 326. The rod 326 fills up the space within the coils of the springs 325. As the spring 325 rotates, ink l in the jar 249 is drawn through the inlets 323. As the ink I has a relatively high viscosity, the ink l trapped between the rod 326 and the bore 327 of the pump body 318 and between the coils of the spring 325 is conveyed upwardly. The ink I in the tube 332 above the rod 326 completely fills the space in the tube 332 which is not occupied by the spring 325. Accordingly, the continuous rotation of the spring 325 causes ink to be delivered continuously through the pump body 318, through the flexible tube 332 and through the fitting 333 (FIG. 14) into the fountain 211 as indicated by arrow 1. The ink Isupplied to the fountain 211 always exceeds the amount required so that excess ink is continuously returning through the header 248 to the jar 249 via the tube 250. The inside of the jar 249 is at atmospheric pressure because of aligned vent holes 314' and 315 in the plate 314 and the liner 315, respectively.

With references to FIG. 20, the print head assembly 32 is shown to include a pair of print heads 341 and 342 mounted by a print head assembly frame 32". The 

1. Web feeding apparatus, comprising: means for mounting a roll of web material, means for intermittently feeding web material from the roll, rotary feeding means disposed below and spaced from the web roll, means for continuously driving the rotary feeding means, the web material extending (a) beneath and partly around the rotary feeding means, (b) from there parly around, over and in contact with the web roll, and (c) from there to the intermittent feeding means, tautness in the web material enabling rotary feeding means to pay additional web matrail out of the roll and increased slackness in the web material decreasing the amount of web material which the rotary feeding means pays out of the web roll, wherein the rotary feeding means comprises yieldable means which yield during frictional contact with the web material.
 2. Web feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1, wjherein the rotary feeding means comprises a plurality of flexible members in riving engagement with the web material.
 3. Web material apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotary feeding means comprises a plurality of outwardly extending flexible, resilient elements having a relatively high coefficient of friction.
 4. Web feeding apparatus, comprising: means for mounting a roll of web material, means for intermittently feeding the web from the roll, rotary feeding means comprising a plurality of flexible resilient frictional members for gradually paying the web out from the roll, the rotary feeding means being disposed relative to the roll and to the intermittentt feeding means that a portion of the web freely depends from the roll to form a free-hanging loop section between the web roll and the intermittent feeding means, with the loop section passing under and partly around the flexible resilient frictional members, and means for continuously driving the rotary feeding means to effect increased contact and flexure of the flexible resilient frictional members to increase the rate of feed of the web as the web becomes taut in response to feeding by the intermittent feeding means and to effect decreased contact with the flexible resilient frictional members to decrease the rate at which the web is paid out in response to increased slackness in the web. 